Napa Nights
by maia smith
Summary: Edward returns home to Napa, a broken man, called to head the family winery.  Jealousy, passion love and adventure await him.  Can he love again?  Will he choose Bella or fall for someone else?
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

**The Prodigal Son Comes Home**

**Edward**

* * *

I awoke early, my bleary eyes greeting the incipient dawn; this was my first day back at the family homestead in Napa. I looked out the French doors of my bedroom; I preferred to keep the filmy curtains open so I gaze out at the black velvet of night those times I had difficulty sleeping but then also as I was now doing having awoken early, see the first stirrings of life. I was greeted by rolling fog caressing the vines, row after row just beginning to explode now that the weather was to their liking; warm days followed by cool nights. The moody hills shrouded by fog as well served as an apt background. The misty April half-light accentuated the green leaves of the flourishing vines, soon to flower and hopefully produce a bountiful harvest.

I arose groping for my sleep pants to cover my nakedness and loped to the bathroom to relieve myself. After I brushed my teeth and had a quick shave but before I dressed for the day, I took the opportunity to open the French doors off my room and exited directly onto a large veranda overlooking the green expanse of the vineyard. I walked out onto the veranda; it was still cool and the air was moist with fog. I could feel the moisture descend on my unclothed chest, caressing me. I breathed deeply, my bare feet feeling the concrete beneath and wishing I had thought to put on shoes as my toes froze. The moisture hanging in the air was invigorating. I decided to go for a run.

I changed into black running shorts and a grey t-shirt; I briefly tried to get my hair under control, failing miserably, and then searched around until I located my shoes and I-Pod. I paused glancing around my bedroom grateful for the comfort that I found upon returning home very late the evening before. Not much had changed; it was still the room of a musician _but I was hardly that anymore_, I thought, cynically. It was a large room with its own bath which should not have been surprising given the opulence of my parents' home. They enjoyed living well and had excellent taste in furnishing the beautiful manor house.

I had significant input in the décor for my room; I liked the contrast of the dark mahogany floor against silver grey area rug that graced the floor; my bed was covered with a comforter of the same color. My bed was still unmade and so not wanting to leave it in such a state I set my shoes and I-Pod on my desk chair and quickly smoothed the sheets and comforter and set the pillows neatly back in place. My dresser and desk, to the left of my bed were set near the bedroom door and were of the same dark wood as the floor as was the entertainment center which was located to the right of the graceful French doors that led out to the veranda. A large leather chair was to the left of said doors and I would often sit there rather than at my desk to study. The entertainment center was dominated by a large flat screen TV and sat directly across from my bed. There were countless CDs lining the shelves and expensive stereo equipment was apparent next to the TV. To the right of the entertainment center sat an upright piano and guitar which rested in its stand. Like I said, it's a large room and I spent a great deal of time here in my youth so I was grateful for the creature comforts. The empty walk-in closet was packed with the boxes I had shipped here months before when I thought I'd be traveling straight home rather than taking a three-month detour. I was going to have to tackle unpacking very soon.

I would often lie in bed watching TV late at night or lightly strumming my guitar when I still lived here. Late at night the moonlight would filter in through the French doors illuminating my room in a ghostly light. In the summer I would often leave the doors open letting the night breeze waft through the filmy curtains offering a natural air conditioning.

I spent hours in my room at the piano, playing and composing. There was a time I had considered music as a career; I had even been accepted to Julliard, however, I had a need to show my parents, my father especially that I could be as successful as they were in their realm and somehow I felt compelled that I couldn't do it through music alone although they never pushed me in any direction and always praised my musical abilities.

My dad, Carlisle, was the head of Cullen Vineyards, or CV as we affectionately called it, which he founded and worked tirelessly to make a huge success. He had been a practicing physician but always longed to fulfill his passion for viniculture and since money was not an object for him made the change in careers at a rather young age. My mom Esme, a highly regarded and sought after interior designer, was largely responsible for the beautiful design of and furnishings in our home. It was ready for Sunset Magazine but still felt comfortable.

I decided after I was accepted by a number of the best schools in the country that I would attend Columbia University in New York as a pre-law major hoping to be accepted to law school. Music took a back seat; I still played occasionally, but not with the fervor I'd once had. As fate would have it and through years of hard work I succeeded beyond my wildest expectations, made it through law school and was, until recently, an associate with the well respected law firm, Royce King and partners. I had been there a year and a half having joined them shortly after graduation and swiftly passed the bar exam. I knew I was well regarded and expected that eventually I would make partner. But all that changed with a suddenness that still made my head spin.

I sighed deeply, remembering the reason I abruptly turned my life upside down and left everything behind in New York last January; my apartment my friends my job and my….girl. I shook my head, I just didn't want to go there right now, my feelings were so raw, I knew I needed to face what happened and how I'd reacted and I would need to seriously think about how I was going to explain my sudden change of plans to my parents.

I shook my head to break my reverie; sitting at the edge of my bed I briefly debated exiting via the back staircase off the veranda and down directly to the large outdoor patio below. I could escape across the wide expanse of green lawn to the vineyards that surrounded our home and finish my run before facing my parents who I knew would be in the kitchen by now. I sighed and conceded defeat. They would spy me anyway through the kitchen window which overlooked the patio and wonder why I was avoiding them. I took a deep breath opened my bedroom door and padded down the stairs following the scent of bacon and fresh Danish rolls. Did I mention my mom is a fabulous cook?

I crossed through the family room towards the kitchen feeling the stirrings of hunger now that I could smell the delicious food and was somewhat surprised to see that my older brother Emmett had parked himself on the large comfy couch; his feet propped up on the coffee table. He was facing the flat screen TV flipping absently through channels and hadn't spied me yet.

"Hey, is that my big brother?" I said smiling widely, I suddenly felt much better. He startled, surprised to hear my voice but turned and grinned at me dropping the remote.

"Baby E!" He shouted springing up from the couch rounding it to grab me in a big hug. He planted a big wet one on my cheek as he threw one arm around me.

"It's so good to see you; I got my ass up early to get over here." My brother was very affectionate. There was a time people thought we were overly close, but screw them.

Emmett looked at me as he stretched his arms out towards me.

"Come here Baby E, you need a hug." Completely despondent I moved towards his embrace as he clutched me towards his chest.

"If you were a woman I would marry you" I mumbled into his chest grateful for his generosity of spirit and the way he was able to comfort me.

"That would still be incest and bigamy" Emmett replied.

"True…" I responded listlessly and laughed despite my situation. Emmett always found a way to get a smile out of me despite the circumstances

"I'm shocked that Rosalie let you out her grasp without a list of to do's" I said and laughed as he rolled his eyes.

My brother's wife Rosalie is a piece of work. She and I are like oil and water but somehow she and Emmett have managed to make a happy life together. Rosalie is not a girlie girl; she's into cars, and is an excellent mechanic. I find this in stark contrast to her utter beauty, long blond hair and icy blue eyes with a body to die for, but she's nobody's fool; she graduated from Stanford with a degree in aeronautical engineering although she never put it to use as if it had been merely an intellectual exercise. She is fierce but she will defend her own to the bitter end. I guess I should love her for that, if I could love her. We can hardly stand to be in the same room for very long without sniping at each other.

Rosalie is chief mechanic for Cullen Vineyards and oversees the maintenance of the company fleet. Rosalie also has her own business restoring vintage automobiles and is sought after by collectors acknowledged as one of the few with expertise to keep their wildly overpriced machinery in good working condition. Our personalities grate on one another so we tend to keep a respectful distance. It's hard because I so love my brother and expected that I would be close to his chosen mate as well, but it was not to be.

Rosalie's toughness is such a contrast to Emmett's nurturing tendencies odd for a masculine man like him; six foot five, athletic with amazing abs that I could never hope to replicate. He's always been that way, even as kids he was my protector and confidant, the only soul in the world who knows me inside and out. He knew the whole story and would never betray my confidence. Without him I think I might have gone insane.

A hand to my shoulder brought me back to Emmet as he leaned in and spoke quietly, glancing towards the kitchen.

"Rosalie's been under the weather lately," He paused averting his eyes momentarily and this gave me pause. Emmett was always right there, straightforward never hiding anything about his life. He would only act this way if he thought it would affect me. He would still be honest but cautious to avoid hurting me. That was my lovely big brother.

"Em, what's up and please just be honest with me." I said, wondering why he was so hesitant.

"I need to tell you this quickly as I know Mom and Dad can hear us out here and I'm sure they're a little pissed you haven't graced them with your presence yet." He smirked.

Emmett paused and looked directly at me,

"Rosalie is pregnant." He stated as he regarded me pensively.

"Don't tell them yet as she's having a rough time and I'm not sure whether the baby will make it" he continued, his face a sea of emotion.

Ah, sweet Emmett; so concerned about his beloved. I would not divulge a thing until he gave me the OK.

"How are you feeling?" He asked anxiously, his concern for me was evident.

"I'm so very happy for you, big brother." I hugged him, a slight ache emanating from my chest.

"Will you be Godfather to our little one Baby E? I discussed it with Rosalie and she agrees it should be you."

"Rosalie approves of me? Really Emmett that's more shocking than the fact she is pregnant!" I mockingly intoned but was very touched.

Emmett laughed.

"She may give you a hard time but she knows the stuff you're made of Baby E and she knows how close we are. If God forbid something were ever to happen to us, I know she and I would be certain that our child would be in good hands with you."

I was so overcome with emotion just then that I grabbed Emmett and held him close. I was so fortunate to have him as a sibling and it was clear to me, as it always had been that he felt the same for me.

"Let's get something to eat" He said, "The parents are getting anxious".

"I'm not going to eat before I run. I might just grab some juice." I said, still clutching my shoes and I-Pod "But let's go join them before they freak out." I laughed, walking arm in arm with my brother towards the kitchen.

We entered the kitchen together noticing that our parents were engrossed in conversation, barely acknowledging our entrance. Emmett and I met eyes; he crooked one eyebrow questioning their attitude. They both separated abruptly as they sensed our entry. "Edward!" My mom crooned as she stretched her arms out towards me. I had arrived so late last night that this is the first time we were seeing each other. I dropped my shoes, set my I-Pod down on the sideboard and walked towards my parents.

"My sweet boy it's so good to see you, it's been too long, welcome home." I was so happy to see her smiling face, her eyes glistening with tears of joy. I couldn't believe how I'd managed to stay away from home so long, but I knew why I had. Mom kept caressing my face and kissing my cheeks as I hugged her. Finally overcome with emotion I put my forehead on her shoulder and gulped deeply to keep my tears at bay. It was a struggle. My parent's unquestioning love and devotion was overwhelming. "It'll be okay baby" She crooned as she stroked my hair, sensing the war I was waging to keep my emotions under control. I was deeply comforted by her embrace.

I raised my head from her shoulder and looked towards Dad. He had a slight smile but his eyes were serious. I released her and he put his arm around me for a quick but firm one-shouldered embrace. "Good to see you son, now let's get some breakfast." He turned towards Emmett and Mom who started placing eggs and bacon and all sorts of other breakfast goodies on the table. Emmett sat and immediately began to dig in as did Dad. Mom sat and motioned for me to join them as I was still standing.

"Do you mind if I just have some juice right now and eat later? I want to go for a run"

Mom's face fell. "I was hoping we could talk Edward..." Emmett gave a light cough and quirked an eyebrow at me. I nodded slightly.

"Ma, give him a few hours" He whined before returning to his breakfast.

I sighed not wanting to get into it right now. "We will mom, today after I get settled, if that's okay. Maybe we can talk after dinner tonight."

With that she relented.

I needed this run badly to try and clear my thoughts and to think through my plans for work. In actuality I really only had this next week to get myself organized before starting at CV so I turned towards the sideboard to gather my I-Pod and grab the shoes I'd set down on the floor nearby earlier. I moved towards the foyer and exited out the front door, sat on the porch step and put my running shoes on and as I did I admired the vista before me. The air was still cool but beyond the cobbled walkway leading from the front of the house a glorious vision of bursting fields lay before me. The day was now in full bloom; the sun warming the earth and the vines stirring such that it seemed you could watch then grow. The fields before me glowed with life sucked from the rich Napa soil. A light wind tickled the vines; the fields looked alive with anticipation of the day to come. I rose from the stoop, turned and walked towards the edge of the vineyard; across the garden from the house and above the vineyard was a narrow trail. I stretched for a few minutes then jogged off. The vineyard opened before me as I ran along the narrow path that bordered and overlooked it. At its full extent, I could probably run five miles circumnavigating the property. I set off on my run; my lungs expanded and drank in the cool air as I ran. My legs pounded the soil; my I-Pod sending random songs to my empty soul.

The path I took led me up a gentle rise that when I crested the hill revealed a scene of such natural beauty that I was humbled and grateful to be home. Acres of grapevines rolled across the soft sloping hills, dewy with the morning mist. Dappled sunlight twinkled through the branches of a stand of eucalyptus trees that were probably 50 feet tall and which acted as a protective windscreen; rose bushes were planted intermittently at the borders of the path I ran on adding a pink blush of color that contrasted nicely against the deep green of the vines. I had missed so much living away from the place and the people I cared for all those years in New York. I felt a tightening in my abdomen and immediately banished thoughts of New York from my mind; I could not deal with it yet.

I let myself drift, hypnotized by the music running through my ear buds and the relentless beat of my feet against the soil knowing that I was very wounded. I was increasingly concerned by my parents fretting over my emotional state; my Dad's quiet but intense need to be try to help me and I not comfortable enough to share with him all of the sordid details of my three month journey to find solace and peace. My Mom would question me gently probing for some truth to allow her to sooth me. I realized that my situation was causing them great pain and anguish and I did not want the fact that I'd become such an empty shell to affect their health and happiness. I had to get better.

For years I had been their successful capable son albeit distant and within a few months I was reduced to a useless unemployed wretch. While I didn't travel often to Napa, my parents made a point of visiting me in New York at least twice a year so we maintained a solid familial connection. What they saw on those trips left them satisfied that the life I had chosen was working well for me. They seemed to approve of Tanya although they never became particularly close to her, unlike the closeness that was evident in the relationship they had with Rosalie. Tanya could be standoffish and cold.

Despite everything, my parents had supported me in every way when I was at my worst; staying in touch and urging me to return home. I would do my best to live up to their expectations as I assumed the helm at Cullen Vineyards; I owed them no less than to fulfill their trust in me.

I continued on, running down then uphill over the sloping terrain when it occurred to me that I was less than a mile away from the CV winery and offices so I decided to stop in for a quick visit. I wanted a quiet moment to check out the place where I would be working at a time when I could be essentially unobserved by the staff. I'm sure next week I would be the shiny new toy. On the weekends other than during harvest time, just the guard shack and store were open and only a handful of employees were needed to conduct tours and wine tasting, along of course, with the field workers who were always there tending the vines. Occasionally my parents would stop in and greet the patrons. Emmett was usually to be found here at various times on the weekend to check in with the workers. Emmett and Rosalie lived nearby the winery on a parcel our parents had gifted to them.

The winery was located on the east side of our property while my parent's home was to the west end situated about two miles apart. Not all of our land was used for wine making; we leased a large parcel to a small local dairy and cheese factory that primarily used it as grazing land for their dairy cows and goats as well as a portion containing the actual dairy and cheese-making facility. The dairy and grazing land bisected across the vineyard surrounding our home and the far larger one at the winery. I crossed into the grazing land running near the stolid black and white cows, some lazing in the grass; I noted that the hills, dotted with California scrub oak, were still green from the April rains but it wouldn't too much longer when they would turn the familiar golden brown. I continued on a half mile further entering the winery property once again and spotted the rusty red colored tiles of the top of the main winery building.

I paused to catch my breath, hands on knees, sweating like a pig, my t-shirt clinging to my wet skin. The day had turned warm although it was still fairly early in the day. Maybe showing up here looking like a hot mess wasn't the brightest idea. I approached the guard shack and saw that it was a familiar face, one I hadn't seen in years. When I did come back on the occasional visit to see my family I rarely stopped by the winery, and then only briefly, in the ten years since I'd left.

"Hey, Waylon," I called out smiling giving him a small wave wondering if he would remember me after all this time. He looked up warily before his eyes brightened in recognition. A wide grin cut across his grizzled face.

"Baby E…uh, sorry, Emmett has been talking non-stop about you…" He leaped up opened the door and ushered me in to the guard shack laughing at his faux pas.

"Edward, it's great to see you again, you look good although a little winded" he continued clapping me on the shoulder. Waylon was small and wiry man. His head reached just barely above my shoulder, yet he was security for CV and had been since the start. He looked just the same to me and this brought back warm memories.

"I can't believe it's been ten years although to look at you you've turned into a fine young man." I scoffed internally, thinking the dark smudges under my eyes and my recent debauchery belied that description. He went on for a while recalling the days when Emmett and I roamed the winery grounds from dawn to dusk during the summer months. We spent quite a bit of time with Waylon accompanying him on his rounds and generally wreaking the havoc that only young boys can do. We made his job interesting and as it turned out we ended being his main security issue for the most part.

"Good to see you too Waylon, I was wondering if I could look around a bit, get my bearings before I start next week. I don't have ID on me…" I smirked at him.

"I don't think that'll be a problem now Edward, I'd recognize that wild bronze hair a mile away" He winked reached over and gave me a badge that would let me into the building.

"Hey you probably want to clean up a bit from your run. You can use the shower in the exercise room. There are towels and I think your Dad has some sweats or some such thing you can borrow.

Let me escort you in just in case there's anyone in the office, we don't want to take anyone by surprise. Our marketing director tends to come in on the weekends. I didn't see her car though, but I haven't been out for a couple of hours. If she's here I'll give you a quick introduction. You're probably in the clear."

"_Ah, the infamous Isabella Swan I've been hearing so much about but had yet to meet"_. I mused. I didn't want to meet her under these circumstances so it was good to know that I was unlikely to encounter her. I really didn't feel like chatting anyone up today. The thought of a shower was nice though; I felt sticky with sweat and grime.

I followed Waylon from the guard shack to the front entrance testing my badge to ensure it worked so I could come and go freely. The door clicked and I pulled it open. It was cool and quiet inside; Waylon's boots clicked on the wood floor of the reception area echoing off the walls as we passed through to the main offices.

Waylon led me through the familiar cube farm back to where my office would be. It was easy to spot as the name plate was already affixed to the door. This made me smile knowing that either Dad or Emmett had taken the initiative to ensure I felt welcomed. Next door to me on the left was Dad's office as well as Emmett's next to his and on the right was Alice and then Isabella Swan's office. I'd heard a lot about Isabella, or Bella as they commonly referred to her, from Dad. Apparently she'd become quite central to the business operations and as the new guy I certainly wasn't going to rock the boat at least not until I became familiar with CV business practices. Marketing wasn't my forte.

"Here you go Eddie boy" he said as he unlocked my office door and handed me one of the keys from his full key ring. "You can keep it, I have a duplicate." I didn't have a pocket to put the key in so I placed in on the desk. Seeing this, Waylon pulled out a lanyard from his pocket and handed it to me. "You can use this until you get home. Speaking of which, I can give you a lift back to your place when you're through here."

"Thanks Waylon, I'd like that." I clicked the key into the end of the lanyard and put it around my neck. Now about that shower…

Waylon said goodbye as he went off to make his rounds and I headed back out of my office down the hallway towards the exercise room. This was a nice convenience; I remembered I was still in high school when Dad had it built. Emmett and I used it a lot during football and baseball seasons for conditioning. I was very familiar with this room; recalling a certain incident with Jessica, a classmate, who temped one summer. Yes, this was where I lost my virtue.

I sighed and grabbed a couple of towels from the cupboard. Rooting around I came across an old pair of basketball shorts and t-shirt emblazoned with the Napa High logo. Hopefully they fit well enough to make it home. I left the clean clothes on the exercise bench and entered the shower area stripping down, tossing my dirty sweaty outfit back out through the door. I removed the lanyard from around my neck and hooked it around the doorknob. Leaving the door open, I turned on the shower and waited for the water to heat. I leaned forward, naked against the shower door and briefly pondered how I came to be here at this time in my life. I allowed myself to wallow just a little.

Tanya. Oh, I didn't want to think about her betrayal. I gave up everything I had worked so hard for and walked away from that life; from a life with her, focused on her, succeeding for her. I left because in that excruciating instant when she confessed, I realized my life was a pile of ash blowing every which way in the wind, no substance, no me. I had stayed faithfully in New York for her, I'd distanced myself from my family to stay by her side; she was uninterested in my family. In the end, I lost myself. No one would ever bring me to my knees like that again.

Shaking off these thoughts, I entered the shower now that the water was sufficiently heated. I spied a familiar brand of soap and shampoo, ones my Dad favored. I quickly lathered up as it was not my intention to spend that much time bathing. I washed the sweat and grime from my body and it felt as though I was cleansing my soul as well. I washed my hair quickly and turned off the water, grabbing a towel as I exited the shower.

I toweled my hair to remove the excess moisture and then moved to wipe the wet from my body. My face was covered when I heard a gasp followed by rapidly receding footsteps, a click of a door opening and closing. Curious, I looked up and saw nothing. I finished drying myself and thought I heard the sound of a car start and accelerate out of the lot. Oddly for some reason I thought it must have been Waylon.

I dressed quickly in the shorts and t-shirt I'd found, foregoing my sweaty boxers and going commando; I pulled on my shoes on sans socks. I grabbed the lanyard walked to my office and secured the door. I piled my sweaty dirty clothes into a bag I'd found in the exercise room and walked out of the building to the guard shack. I leaned back against the wall not expecting to see Waylon for a while, but up he popped as soon as he heard me.

"Edward! So you didn't get a ride with Bella?"

"A what, who?" I said inelegantly, mightily confused.

"Isabella Swan. Turns out she did come in a bit ago. I mentioned that you were here and that I was going to drop you at your folks. She said not to bother as she was on her way over there and she could take you and would track you down. I guess you must have missed each other." Waylon grabbed his keys and pushed out of the guard shack.

"So is that what you were coming to tell me when I was in the shower?"

"Me? I haven't been back to the office since I left you there."

I cringed, realizing who might have made that gasp.

"_No, no, no this can't be happening,"_ I thought. _"Please tell me Isabella Swan, marketing genius for Cullen Vineyards didn't just see my dick swinging freely in all its glory. God is cruel if true"_.

"Waylon, it looks like I still need that ride." I was praying that Isabella Swan was not at this moment in my parent's home. We took the pitted back road back to my parent's home, making for a bouncy ride. Note to self: get your own place ASAP.

_God is cruel_…

I saw an unfamiliar truck parked haphazardly along the drive as we approached and asked Waylon to drop me at the back of the house. This was the cleanest approach I had to the back staircase leading up to my veranda.

"I need a word with your Dad. Do you want me to say I've dropped you off?"

"I'd prefer you not mentioning my visit quite yet, if you don't mind."

"No problem Eddie." I winced at the appellation not fond of the abbreviated version of my name.

"Thanks Waylon, I'll see you soon." I exited his little security truck angling for the most inconspicuous manner to make a fast retreat to the back staircase leading to my room.

I thought I had successfully navigated my family until I entered my room. There, perched in the middle of my bed was my sister Alice.

"Bella thinks she saw your dick today."

It wasn't quite 11:00 am in the morning. Plenty of day left for me to screw up even further.

"She didn't exactly put it that way, Edward; she just implied that she caught you in an unguarded moment. I did the translation. She's a little traumatized." Alice hopped off my bed and wrapped her arms around me.

"I missed you so much" she said as she clung to me.

"Don't worry about Bella, she'll be okay. But you, we need to talk." Alice looked deep into my eyes trying to understand my pain.

"I need a moment to myself, Geez! I'm dressed in my high school shorts I need to change and to tell you the truth, I'm starving." I was afraid to go downstairs if Bella was still here.

"Yes, she's still here" my little mind reader trilled.

"Don't worry," she continued, I'll make you a sandwich. She kissed my cheek and released me, skipping out of my room and down the stairs.

I glanced round my room and noticed my laptop was on and my e-mail open. I looked at the messages and gasped. There was one from _**her**_! I deleted it without opening the message so I had not a clue as to what she wanted. My heart was pounding and my breath sped as I was overcome by emotion. I can't think about her!

I took a moment to gather myself and calm my rough gasps of pain and stop the tears. I needed to talk to my parents soon; I didn't want them to see me like this until I could explain…some, but not all, of why I had decided to return home. I knew they were deeply concerned and worried about my uncharacteristic behavior over the course of the last three months. I had delayed my return because I was in no condition to face them. Mom and Dad had reached out numerous times seeking to help me and try to understand what I was going through. I was not in a place to explain and they were mystified. I had received one visit from my Dad that had hastened my return; at the time I told him that I did not want to discuss what happened quite yet, hence the delay in my return. What he came to tell me cut my self-indulgent wallow in self-pity short. They were grateful when I called and told them I was ready to come home, they wanted me in their clutches, I knew, to try and help their baby son. I smiled slightly as I thought of their love and concern.

I heard my door open glanced up surprised to see Alice's concerned face. I wasn't expecting her back this quickly so my unguarded face must have been a study in pain. I pleaded with my eyes for her to let me be for now and to not insist on talking to me at this moment. Surprisingly enough she complied with my unspoken request placing a food laden tray on my desk. She blew me a kiss and whispered, "Later" as she withdrew closing my door.

I huffed rifling my hands through my hair trying to gather myself back together.

"_No one, I repeat No one,"_ I thought grimly, "_will ever bring me to my knees like this again. No. One_."

* * *

**Hope you enjoyed it. This story has been sitting for months as I chew it to death. I'm three long chapters into it and decided to post and get some feedback. It's going to be a love triangle featuring Bella and Jasper.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

**One or the Other**

*****Edward*****

My darling brother Emmett and my sister Alice, decide tonight's the night to get their baby brother re-introduced around town and potentially loosened up with a few beers. I know the way these two operate; they are the opposite of smooth. A couple of broad hints, an invitation to introduce me to their friends (read those of the female persuasion)…they want to get me laid. I should remind them that, slut that I am; I'm able to meet my needs just fine in that respect. I'll play along though, seeing as it has been a while where I wasn't just fucking the crap out of a woman for my own selfish release but maybe tonight I could actually engage one in intelligent conversation. Let's see what the night holds.

They plan a night out at a local restaurant followed by a visit to a popular club patronized by the young professionals who work primarily in the wine industry and wealthy lie-about creatures that are intent on spending their parent's money. It feels a lot like a college outing, relaxed, without expectation…okay, I'm game.

*****Emmett*****

I'm flipping channels trying not to make it obvious that I'm observing my brother, hunched into the oversized chair by the window. He's very tense and pre-occupied, spending way too much time mulling his failed relationship to that fucked up woman. Edward is deep in thought staring raptly at his laptop oblivious to his surroundings and certainly stressing over his new responsibilities at Cullen Vineyards as he prepares to start in the office in the coming week. As the oldest, I'm sure there are many among our employees who think I was passed over to lead CV. Not true; Edward is the man for the job, I heavily lobbied our father to make sure this happened. I worry about my brother; in one drunken sob-fest of a call while he was still in Santa Barbara, I realized the extent of the damage that bitch had caused. He doesn't think he'll ever be capable of loving again the way he did when he and Tanya were first together; he plans to have his "needs" met by way of anonymous one-night stands but will never "let another bitch" get her claws in him.

My brother knows he's a very attractive man, appealing to the ladies as it were. To be honest and humble, we are all an incredibly attractive lot. Edward, especially, has a look that makes women want to have his children or failing that, become his personal love slave. I've watched him walk into a bar, drawing awed silence, as he does nothing more mundane than order a beer and drink it down in a few large gulps, his Adam's apple bobbing, a little of the beer escaping his lips. One problem that Edward does not have is getting laid; in fact, of late he's been a little slutty. The issue for him is the emotional connection that he has been unable to sustain since his breakup with Tanya. Hell, clearly towards the end of their relationship there was no connection with her either. He'd been so caught up in being a successful associate at Royce King & Newton and she…just drifted off into her own world met someone and then did…I couldn't bear to think about it, how she'd ripped Edward's kind sensitive soul to shreds, leaving us to deal with the unemotional husk she left behind. At the time, he had drifted away from us as well, engrossed in his career. The man I was observing now was a shadow of his former self…I wanted my arrogant ass of a brother back, the All-Star pitcher for Napa High, big man on campus. Anything was better than what I saw before me.

My mission tonight and for the foreseeable future is to help him heal, I'm his big brother; his confidante. I want him eventually to have what Rosalie and I have. Despite the oil and water nature of their relationship I know he has a deep regard for Rose and whether he is conscious of it or not, I'm certain he craves a love like ours.

Edward looks like he's getting his drunk on which was my goal for tonight. While normally a pretty serious guy, he has actually become quite gregarious. He's laughing and telling rude jokes. He's been flirting outrageously with the women who clearly appreciate his pretty face. It has been a while since I've seen him this loose and relaxed, comfortable in his own skin. He didn't dress tonight, up for once, after all, this is Napa not Manhattan; the soft forest green flannel, black vee-neck t-shirt and worn jeans are perfect for this place. I watch as he walks towards the bar for a refill. He looks distracted and I observe as he disappears down a hallway , beer in hand towards the business offices. I stand to follow him but Rosalie swats me and tells me to stop watching him like a hawk.

*****Alice*****

Jasper and I were scheduled to meet up with Rose, Emmett and Edward for dinner. Bella Swan was supposed to join us as well but apparently work commitments interfered. Now there's a piece of work…separated from Jacob Black and the heaviness of their relationship, she decides to take on the character of a cloistered nun as of late; she's lost all sense of fun, won't even go shopping with me! It was annoying as hell as I have to deal with her this way every day at work. She was the best at her job but what a downer! I wonder what Edward would make of her…he's almost as bad a she is.

Jasper was running late so I texted Emmett and told him we'd skip dinner and meet up with them at the club. Jasper was so funny…excited to finally be meeting Edward after all these years. He'd been my college roommate all four years and I had so talked Edward up to him, my perfect brother, the All-Star athlete turned high-powered attorney. I continued to update him in the intervening years since we'd graduated as well. Each time Jasper had been my guest on visits home to Napa when he was on leave, we had missed meeting up my brother, in one case only by minutes; it seemed as though fate was keeping them from coming face to face. Tonight it looked like they might actually meet after eight long years of anticipation. Jasper was still one of my closest friends and I really wanted him to eventually know my whole family now that he was permanently relocating to Napa for his new job at Travis Air Force Base after his final tour of duty.

*****Edward*****

As I approached the bar for a refill, I noticed a dimly lit hallway off to the right, leading presumably to the club's business offices. One door is ajar and I glimpse someone, a female form hunched over a laptop busily performing a task of some sort. There is something about her earnestness that intrigues me in my highly inebriated state…she looks kind of cute, but then, don't they all after four beers? Hmmm… could this be a potential one-nighter?

*****Bella*****

I'm frustrated knowing that my friends are here at the club while I'm sitting in this dingy office doing paperwork. I make a paper plane and sail it across the room watching it catch the edge of the file cabinet. Very productive there Swan… My job, second job really is moonlighting as a bookkeeper for a few of the smaller wineries and businesses that can't afford to keep their own staff. I do the bookkeeping as a side job to supplement my income and for the most part, work in the evenings

My day job is as the marketing director for Cullen Vineyards. You would think that would pay enough and it would if I didn't have a crushing load of student debt that I want to pay off as quickly as possible, otherwise, it's a burden that will keep me stuck, limiting my freedom to experiment with my Masters in Literature and Screenwriting. Jacob Black wanted to pay the loans off but there was a catch: marriage. I wasn't ready for that sort of commitment, I hesitated and he dumped me like yesterday's news.

I've known of the Cullen boys Edward and Emmett but only met Emmett despite having worked for Carlisle Cullen for the last five years. Through the office gossip grapevine everyone knows full well that Edward is considered his errant son, but only from Carlisle's take. From what I've heard, he's built quite successful career but is distant from the family. No one else close to the family really had anything negative to say about Edward, not that I was paying attention. As luck would have it, I'd always missed his visits the times when he stopped by the Cullen Vineyards offices and otherwise would have had no reason to cross his path.

Color me shocked and surprised then when Carlisle announced Edward's new role as Managing Director causing me to wonder if there will still be a place for me at CV under his stewardship. Not something I want to think about right now, I just want to finish up and see if I can catch at least one drink with Alice and the group. I'm looking forward to seeing Jasper again; she had texted me earlier mentioning that Edward might show up as well…two birds with one stone I mused idly.

I booted my laptop, logged into the network and proceeded to collect the files I needed to finish up. It's getting late and I would like that quick drink, might help me to get some much needed sleep. I haven't slept well for months, not since the end of my relationship with Jacob who, like Edward, is an attorney. Bah, stop thinking about him!

Rushing to complete the bookkeeping I am completely engrossed, hunched over, one leg folded under me, one leg swinging away. Almost done, I stop and lean back stretching out the kinks. I feel a slight breeze behind me and turn sharply feeling a presence as the door slowly opens revealing a smirking face.

He stumbles slightly and catches his breath, as his eyes grow wide. He leans against the doorjamb, crossing his arms and ankles in unison assuming a relaxed pose or, perhaps, to keep from falling flat on his face in his current wobbly state. His eyes at half-mast are languorous and sexy; I'm finding it hard to meet his penetrating albeit bloodshot gaze. It soon becomes obvious to me that he's really drunk and I'm suddenly slightly afraid as I've never seen him before; I don't imagine he's supposed to be back here, probably got lost on the way to the men's room a few doors down.

But darn if he's not cute! Those green eyes and messy bronze hair, lovely! "You shouldn't be back here," I state as I start to shoo him off

"Why is that?" Edwards responds aggressively, pushing away from the doorjamb taking a step towards me; I freeze considering my next move. I start to respond but then decide to simply pack up my laptop and get out of the office suddenly feeling claustrophobic. I grab my bag and laptop and move to pass him as he continues to stare intensely at me. He's definitely sex on legs a little too dangerous for me though. As I pass him I barely have enough room to slip by and have turn slightly to shimmy past, he stretches his fingers out and lightly brushes the back of my hand. Shimmers of electricity explode up my arm and I gasp sharply.

I move a little faster down the hall intent on leaving the club altogether; forget the drink! I move down the hall and as I turn catch him following behind strolling slowly, almost stalking me. I move rapidly to the front entrance keys in hand trying to remember where I put my can of mace but before I can exit I hear Alice's high pitched voice; "Belllla! Where do you think you're slinking off to? I'm here with Jasper, Em' and Rosalie. Come join us and…Oh! There you are Edward!" Alice was looking past me and as I turned my head to see who Alice was looking at I gasped as I realized who it was with me in the office earlier, my own personal stalker, sliding past me to the bar smirking. _Edward...Holy-mother-of-God…Cullen_… Yikes!

*****Edward*****

I returned to the bar and ordered a beer that I definitely did not need. The bartender hands me a Stella and I quickly tip the bottle back allowing the cool liquid to flow into my mouth as I take deep gulps. I am feeling no pain. Leaning against the bar, one foot propped against the footrest I survey the room. Emmett, Rose, Alice and her date, actually her former college roommate, Jasper Whitlock whom I have yet to meet are seated around a centrally located table; Alice is gesticulating wildly at a vaguely familiar brunette. I push off from the bar and start to approach the group, as does the slight woman.

I recognize her from our brief encounter in the business offices. She shooed me out of the back office but not before I managed to cop a feel albeit just a brush of my fingers against her hand. She was kind of cute. Actually, she's more than cute; she's stunning. I feel myself incredibly attracted to her even in the short time that had passed since I first saw her. I definitely need to get to know her better; I'd love to run my fingers through that lovely long mahogany hair and those dark chocolate eyes... This combination has the potential to produce some really hot animal sex…look at those legs sheathed in dark blue skinny jeans, and her breasts nestled in a tight pink t-shirt, her nipples hard little pebbles…yum! _Yeah, I'm drunk_.

Jasper stands and introduces himself to me reaching out to shake my hand. He has a firm grip.

"Jasper Whitlock at your service," he drawled, clearly not a local I observed perceptively. Although drunk, even I could recognize the southern accent. I found it oddly appealing.

"Edward, it's a pleasure to finally meet Alice's brother, it's been a long time coming" he smiles broadly, his blue eyes meeting mine as he continues to grasp my hand. Jasper was Alice's college roommate all four years so it was surprising we hadn't met before now although I heard a lot about him from Alice. He's tall maybe an inch or two taller than me, lean and athletic, obviously spends a lot of time outdoors. He has sun kissed blond hair that he brushes off his face. It's a little long just past his ears brushing the collar of his deep blue shirt. He has a small gold hoop in his right ear.

"It's great to meet you too." I return his smile but I feel slightly confused; I furrow my brows realizing I'm still holding his hand. I awkwardly release his hand and sit in one of the available chairs. He sits down next to me; I glance towards him and catch his eye; he's staring at me smiling expectantly. I swig the rest of my beer frowning slightly, feeling all sorts of odd and slightly aroused.

I prop my feet on the table ankles crossed and casually lean back in my chair tipping it back; arms akimbo cradling my head. I watch as the sweet little brunette rounds the table and proceeds to sit next to my sister who engages her in excited whispered conversation that I can't quite make out.

Alice reaches out and hugs Bella tightly, whispering loud enough for me to hear; "So what do you think of my baby brother, I see you've been introduced_." _

"Actually, we haven't met" Bella whispered back conspiratorially, glancing over her shoulder to catch me ogling her, she looked good enough to eat…mmm... Her eyes widened as if she could read my thoughts (hopefully I didn't just say that out loud). Blushing she quickly turned back to Alice, who blunders the conversation forward to even greater levels of awkwardness;

"You've met his dick, that's more than a lot of people can say, well not true…" Alice mused, briefly lost in thought.

Suddenly Alice pipes up:

"Hey, Edward, meet Bella; Bella, Edward! There you go, all introduced!"

Even in my inebriated state, I can tell that Bella is not comfortable being put on the spot so I decide to help her out by deflecting attention away from her. I laugh a little loudly, and she turns toward me. I tip my chair back a little more pushing against the table.

"Bella… how appropriate...Oops!"

My arms flail out as I lose my balance and my tilted chair tips over dumping me unceremoniously on the barroom floor. I find myself sprawled on the floor feeling slightly foolish. Jasper reaches his hand out and grasps my own firmly pulling me off the floor. He slaps me on the back laughing with me, his blue eyes sparkling. His hand, flat between my shoulder blades lingers before drawing slowly down my back and away, leaving a trail of confused nerve endings in its wake.

"Dude; that was hysterical if I didn't know better I'd a thought you did it on purpose." I winked at him. _What? _ I righted my chair turning it backwards and making brief eye contact with…I straddle the chair trying to recall…Bella, her name suits her but she seems so shy. That blush is enticing; she is very pretty with lovely long mahogany hair and a trim curvy figure. I can see the swell of her full breasts. Yeah, that accounts for my aroused state. I think.

I reach out a hand towards Bella;

"It's a pleasure to meet you, sorry I look like such a fool and truth be told I'm a little bit tipsy."

"_So you're a_ _little tipsy eh?_" Bella laughs imitating my slightly slurred speech as she reaches out her hand to grasp my extended one. I feel a spark and clearly she is attracted to me too. She tries to release from my grasp but I don't want to let go immediately; my eyes are drinking her in. I want to eat her up. As she pulls away more firmly, I gradually release her hand, brushing my fingertips along her palm and releasing her pinky last. I feel a thrill coil in the pit of my stomach and my pants are becoming a little snug. I think she's aroused too…

"Yeah, I'm definitely _tipsy_", I grin at her and I can sense she's appraising me. I'm comfortable with my looks and know women find me attractive. I've never had an issue finding someone to meet my needs. I'm tall and lanky with a lean athletic build but not overly muscular; I work out so I know I look good underneath my shirt; Bella is staring into my eyes lips parted, her tongue darts out to moisten her lips. I've been told I have fabulous green eyes, which right now are probably slightly bloodshot from the alcohol; my sharp jaw line is covered in a few days stubble, I lick my lips and run a hand through my messy bronze hair in an effort to tame it without success.

I felt trapped in her deep brown eyes; I wanted her now; my breathing hitched. I noticed that Bella was breathing erratically and I felt the heat on my face as I realized I was almost panting. She tore away from my gaze to look back at Alice and Jasper who were staring at us as if in shock, eyes darting between Bella and me.

"What the heck was _that_!" exclaimed Jasper, struck by the intensity of the lust that flew between the two of us. He looked at Alice in wonderment noticing her self-satisfied smirk and then shaking his head, Jasper rose from the booth; taking Alice's hand he grabbed her purse and handed it to her. "Hey, it's late; we're going to get out of here. We'll see you two tomorrow." With that said they left the club leaving Bella and I staring at each other from opposite sides of the small table.

"…_You two?..." _What did Jasper mean to imply? Bella looks a little panicked and seems like she's ready to bolt out of the bar.

"I'm out of here too, I need to be up early and get the club's books finished for month end." Bella grabs her laptop and bag, gives me a small wave and starts to leave.

_Oh no, I don't want her to leave just yet._ I stride around the table not losing eye contact with Bella. I grab her wrist and stop her realizing in my current state it might not be such a bright idea to come on so strong.

"At least let me walk you to your car, it's not safe this late at night"

"Edward, no need for that I'm perfectly fine" Bella felt the need to be away from me for whatever reason but I was insistent.

"Sorry, Bella, a gentleman would never risk putting a woman such as you in even the slightest danger. Let's go." I pulled on her hand and tugged her towards the door. I placed my hand gently on her elbow as I guided her to her truck. Once there, Bella fumbled with her keys dropping them in her nervousness. I'm a little stirred up so I'm standing probably a little too close to her, so very close I can smell her warm strawberry scent and I'm sure she's getting a whiff of my alcohol tinged breath; I caress her face lightly feeling a little dizzy. I bend down recovering her keys and slowly straighten, not breaking eye contact with her**;**

I look at Bella and realize she's not breathing; she momentarily leans in to me and gasps in air. I'm standing so near I can feel her heat radiating over me. Her eyes are still trapped in my gaze as I brush my hand lightly past her arm my fingers nicking her breast and unlock the truck door.

I'm staring down at her; I haven't said a word since leaving the club. I open the truck door and she reaches in to place her bag and laptop in the cab. She turns towards me and I suddenly press up against her breathing harshly, trapping her against the truck. I am beyond turned on. My hands cup her face and my aroused state must be obvious to her as I press against her stomach.

"Bella, I need you," I murmur grinding against her and I lean forward to kiss her. Bella's heart is thumping I can feel it through our thin clothing and then she suddenly pushes off against me throwing me off balance. I stagger back. Did I read her wrong? I'm stunned. "I thought…" I stammer, "You were staring at me in the club like you wanted this."

"You're drunk and delusional" Bella retorted, looking a little flushed and not happy at all. She hesitated briefly then turned and jumped into her truck cranked it up with a loud backfire and drove off leaving me standing slack jawed watching her depart.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

"_Well that went well…."_ I thought disgustedly. I re-entered the club now almost sober, scrubbed my face with my hands and sat down in the same chair, elbows on the table head in hands and bemusedly pondered the puzzle that was Bella. _"Bella, beautiful Bella what is up with her? Why did I maul her like that it's not my style…Heck I haven't felt anything at all since Tanya that approached how much I had wanted Bella tonight. I'm not even sure I felt that with Tanya…She's a big mystery to me and don't I love mysteries…I'll ask Alice about her and given that, why have I never heard anything about her before tonight? Or have I and I just hadn't been paying attention…"_

"Hey handsome, what's got you all hot and bothered? I glanced up into the eyes of a blonde who was displaying quite a lovely pair of tits perched dangerously close to my face. "_Nice" _I thought my groin area swelling. "_Maybe I will get lucky after all."_ I felt a momentary twinge of guilt as I thought about Bella but resigned myself to the likelihood that she probably wasn't interested in me. I order another round and proceed to get myself numb again. The woman is hanging all over me stroking my inner thigh slowly, seductively. "Hey, you want to get out of here…?" I grab her hand and without a word we leave together.

I am pounding my dick into the blond I hooked up with at the club "_What did she say her name was…Oh, yeah, Vicki…"_ I thought, happy to find some relief. We had gone to Vicki's apartment and after some preliminary fondling got right to business. I'm aroused but my mind isn't on said blonde but on Bella, I think; I'm also recalling the strong hand that slid down my back nearly to my ass. I'm in a generally aroused state but I'm feeling oddly empty. I push Vicki's skirt up to her waist and move her tank top up exposing her ample breasts; I knead them for a while, rolling her nipples between my fingers making them hard. I stroke her sex, making slow circles to get her ready. She responds with a deep moan.

Vicki undoes the button fly of my jeans and pushes them down past my hips. I've gone commando; I lean back against the couch and stroke myself languidly to keep it up, as I think of Bella and… a certain presence ghosting along the edges of my fogged memory, eliciting a groan from Vicky. "I like to watch a man touch himself, it's so erotic." She purrs. I look at her clinically through hooded eyes but I choose not to make a comment, I'm not here to get philosophical. Vicki leans in to kiss me and I jerk my face away. "No kissing," I grunt. Jesus Christ! I can't tolerate that level of intimacy. I know it sounds weird, but sex is not as intimate as a kiss. I'm saving that; considering how poisoned Tanya has made me for those special moments between lovers, a kiss being one of them.

I turn her around and brush my cock against her ass bending her over the couch; I grip her fleshy hips pulling them firmly against my cock and because I have a need, drive harshly into her sex, pumping fiercely, thrusting deeply. She gasps and moans loudly, rotating her hips. This was definitely not about love. I close my eyes as I thrust in and out, my mind drifting back to earlier that evening and Bella staring at me from across the table with obvious desire. Thinking of her makes me harder as I imagine it's her hips I'm gripping. I had wanted Bella bad but had acted like such an ass grabbing at her; she had looked so luscious, soft; her doe eyes avoiding mine…Uh_, uh Bella_…"Oh God that feels so good"…"Eddie baby, I'm coming" Vicki squeals like stuck pig and the moment is lost. I sigh and remove my flaccid penis and dispose of the condom realizing that I never actually came.

"_Wow, that's a first…"_ I mused; unsatisfied still hungry for more; I was probably too drunk to have attempted sex but it seemed like a good idea at the time. I button my jeans and straighten my shirt, which I'd never removed. Vicki smoothes her rumpled outfit grins at me and as she tries once again to kiss me I turn my head away. She pouts and gazes at me wistfully. Running one hand through my hair I avert my eyes feeling suddenly guilty and ashamed. "_Wait that has never happened before, I've never had an ounce of guilt about a one-night stand why now…since when did I get a conscience?_" I'm seriously confused.

"Hey uh, Vicki I've got to get going, this was …nice"

"Will I see you again, Eddie?"

I wince at the use of the hated nickname trying to figure out how to avoid answering her plea. I can't stand to look at her as I move towards the front door of her place.

"Eddie…"

My hand is on the doorknob; I lean my head against the door closing my eyes and sigh.

"We'll see" I answer noncommittally.

With that and without meeting her eyes again I open the door but before I can close it;

"Eddie, who is Bella…?"

I freeze for a second _"Did I actually say her name out loud during sex? Shit!" _but then I catch myself and without answering depart jogging slowly back to my car.

"_What the HELL is going on with me?"_

_.-.-.-.-.-.-.-._

I regret the thing with Vicki, leaving her like that after having aggressive sex with a woman I barely know under the influence of who knows how much alcohol. It's so easy to blame the booze; I could have seriously hurt her given my viciously aggressive actions. What am I trying to prove? I realize she's just another in a long string of one-night stands I've been feverishly working my way through in an effort to scrub the memory of Tanya from my mind; as if they were the vehicle to express the undiluted anger still festering in my soul. As if it were _her_ I was abusing, something I knew I was incapable of. It's been four months and I'm still raw. Maybe it's time to take a break from the random sex and focus on healing myself. I'm suddenly very tired.

Still buzzed, I decide quite rightly it's probably not wise to drive so I take a cab back to the house. I stumble up the driveway after tossing an unknown amount of cash at the cabbie.

The front door is locked. "_Damn! Where are my keys?"_ As I fumble through my pockets I hear sounds from the TV and figure it's probably Alice and Jasper still up at this time of night. I decide to avoid them by going up the back stairs.

I follow the stone path around the side of the house and as I start across the patio I spy a lanky figure reclined in one of the lawn chairs, one jean covered leg stretched out on the chair, one bent leg leaning outward, bare foot resting on the concrete. He has one hand buried in his blond curls while the other hand cradles a beer bottle; his dark blue shirt is slightly open and unbuttoned exposing a sliver of his bare chest. I see the glint of moonlight reflect off his earring. He is facing away so I can't tell if he's awake.

Jasper

He's between me and the back stairway to my veranda. I walk quietly towards the stairs hoping not to disturb him. Suddenly his hand darts out.

"Beer?" He asks proffering the bottle. I take it from his hand and take a deep swallow. I just stand there staring at him. He turns his head and meets my eyes as a slow smile crawls across his face. He looks as drunk as I am. I squat down and take another swig.

"So Jasper, why are you out here at this late hour? It's after two in the morning."

"I saw a cab pull up; where's your car?" Jasper replied with a question.

I didn't respond, just continued to watch him as I drank from my beer, a little puzzled by why he was out here hanging out on my patio. His eyes held my gaze. He was pretty much the last person I would have expected as I barely knew him, Emmett being a much likelier suspect to appear in my face something he did frequently.

"Sit" he says pointing to the lawn chair next to him. I walk around wordlessly and slump into the chair stretching my legs out in front of me. Leaning back I finish off the beer. He hands me another, taking my empty and putting it back in the carton.

"I was waitin' on you. So, you and Bella huh?" he drawls, looking at me speculatively, finally answering my question with another question. He grabs a beer from the twelve-pack twisting off the top. He sits up and turns sideways in the chair facing me; planting his bare feet on the ground in front of him, elbows on his knees. His shirt falls open exposing his chest. He has a nipple ring. I feel a little warm. That dark blue shirt is compelling. He takes a long pull from the bottle keeping his eyes on me.

"There's no me and Bella, Jasper, I was just enough of an asshole to scare her off. She left right after you guys did and I left my car at the bar because I was too drunk to drive."

"Scorned eh, what did ya do, try and cop a feel?" He snickers.

I laugh out loud at his interest. "Something like that" I say vaguely, furrowing my eyebrows trying to figure out his game; I was just too tanked to focus so I eyed him curiously.

"What do you want to know, Jasper?" Weirdly, I feel completely at ease with him, as if I'd known him for years even though we just met a few hours ago. I'm a little shocked that I'm sitting out on the patio at three in the morning with a near stranger discussing my sex life. I am also slightly pickled and would probably confide in a rock at this point.

"Show me what you did and I'll point out the error of your ways"

I'm surprised at his interest but just stupid drunk enough to comply; that and I'm finding that I'm intrigued by this puzzling man.

"How about I just tell you, I think the "show" would be a little awkward"

"Let me be the judge of that" he smirked leaning back on his elbows. "Proceed"

"Well, it's really not that big of a deal, I walked her out to her truck thinking we were on the same page and when I leaned in to kiss her she pushed me off called me delusional and drove away." I brushed the hair out of my eyes.

"She pushed you off… What; you were on top of her? That sounds a little aggressive for a first kiss…" He teased.

"Well no, I was leaning against her and she was pressed up against the truck…I pulled her hips towards me, you know…" I was beginning to see where I'd gone wrong.

Jasper jumps up grabs my hand and pulls me out of my seat. I stagger a bit because, of course, I'm drunk and his sudden action throws me off balance. He puts his arm around my waist to keep me from falling. I'm standing in front of him our bodies not quite touching; he's a little taller than me so I'm looking up at his eyes. Blue eyes stare back at me. His hand slides down to my hip.

He's leaned in so that his face is inches from mine, so close I can feel his hot breath against my neck. I watch his lips move.

"Show me what you did, pretend I'm Bella" he whispers.

I start laughing out loud thinking how absurd this is. _Is he making a move on me? _ I wonder idly.

"Shush, Ed, I'm trying to help you out here."

"Riiiight" I giggle. Then it hits me.

I'm freaking turned on by Jasper. I'm going to let this play out. ..

He takes my hands and places them on his hips then drapes his arms over my shoulders clasping them behind my neck. I snort, unable to keep a straight face. He chuckles quietly then stops and gazes at me.

"Show me Ed…" His moist lips are slightly apart, inviting.

"Oookay, it was kinda like this…" I close my eyes and let my mind visualize my encounter with Bella.

"I walked her out to her car and she was obviously nervous. I was pretty keyed up, hopeful. I was standing really close to her, like this" I move in towards Jasper. I feel his hands twitch. I feel his body heat radiating towards me.

"She dropped her keys and looked so vulnerable I couldn't help but reach out and caress her face like this" I brush the back of my hand along Jaspers face encountering light stubble rather than smooth softness. I feel his slight intake of breath, just like Bella.

"I retrieved her keys intending to return them to her straight away but I can't resist touching her. I run my hands down her arms lightly skimming her breasts, like this" I run my hands down Jaspers body from his shoulders feeling his hard muscles; such a contrast to Bella's soft curves, running my fingers over his nipples, I tug gently on his nipple ring. I feel the shudder that courses through Jasper as he tightens his hold on me. His breathing becomes erratic. My hands continue down to his hips.

'I reach behind her to unlock her truck and brush against her like this" I lean in to Jasper pressing my chest to his wishing I could press my naked skin against his exposed chest. Even in my inebriated state I'm a little shocked at how aroused I am by our little dance. My mouth brushes against his neck. I can't resist licking him from his collarbone up his neck along his strong jaw to a spot behind his ear where I softly kiss him.

"That last part was off script" I chuckle lightly feeling a little shy as I experiment; a breathy, barely audible moan escapes his lips.

"She places her bags in the car and turns towards me intending to bid me goodnight and this is when I turn into an animal" I breathe heavily as I grasp Jaspers hips tighter.

"I press myself up against her roughly like this" I aggressively pull Jasper's hips flush with my body and grind into him eliciting gasps and heavy breathing and whimpering from the both of us. He is hard. I am hard. His grip on me tightens as I feel his lips on my neck, planting wet kisses. I am rubbing myself up against him and I can feel his gyrating hips responding. I may just come in my pants; my dick is throbbing almost painfully.

"This is when she pushes me away, I didn't get a chance to kiss her" I breathe into his chest, my forehead planted on his shoulder looking down at our joined bodies as we continue to rub up against each other. His nipple ring bounces lightly against his pectoral muscle. I want to suck it in my mouth and tug on it. I watch Jasper's exposed abs clench with each thrust against my hips. I can feel his hardness and I have a sudden desire to undo his pants and take him in my hand or my mouth…_oh fuck! What am I thinking?_

"Her loss" Jasper growls as he takes my face in his hands and plunges his mouth onto mine roughly, parting my lips and fucking me with his tongue. This is the most intense kiss of my life; I can't get enough of his mouth as our tongues wrestle and tease and rub and…_Unghh_…

I pull away gasping my mouth dripping lips swollen; I can feel his panting huffs against my chest as I panic slightly trying to pull my face away from his grasp.

"No kissing," I say as I push him away but even as I say that, I realize this kiss was not as unwelcome as I would have anticipated.

"Stop Jasper; Jesus that was intense. I'm really polluted though I have got to get to bed and sleep this off."

"Shush, baby boy…So after Bella drives off you go straight home…" He licks up my neck to my earlobe catching it with his teeth then drawing into his mouth suckling it. I am on fire with arousal every inch of my skin is tingling; alert to the slightest touch of his fingers, his mouth. It dawns on me that I hadn't explored his body enough and I draw my hands up his chest and draw little circles on his nipples which grow noticeably hard. I pull lightly on his nipple ring again eliciting a low moan from Jasper.

"Uh no, my night didn't end there. I went back to the club had a few more beers, hooked up with a woman and went back to her place."

"Did you fuck her?" he growls into my ear as he turns me so my back is against his chest. His head perches on my shoulder, our faces grazing against each other, nuzzling. He slowly pushes his hard cock against my jean-clad ass. Oh, God, that feels amazing. He continues moving against me as he places his hands under the hem of my shirt and for the first time I feel him on my skin, tracing circles on my stomach, caressing me. His hand slides lower palming my cock squeezing me. That just about put me over the edge.

"Yeah…I fucked her like an animal…" I'm finding it difficult to speak as I'm completely focused on the sensations of his hands on my belly, sliding over my skin occasionally dipping lower tracing my arousal.

"Was it good?" He pulls me tightly into his erection and starts thrusting with a little more urgency.

"I didn't come. I was too rough almost violent, I didn't like what I was doing, I felt bad."

His hand drifts lower, lingering just above my erection.

"Do you want to?" He whispers licking my ear.

I can't.

"No, Jasper, I just want to go to sleep. I'm too drunk," I hear him let out a breath, deflated.

"Well, let's get you into bed then." He kisses me lightly on the lips.

I wonder idly, who's pushing me up the stairs and guiding me to my room. Oh yeah; It was a gruff male voice with a southern drawl. Some guy named Jasper; I giggle drunkenly. I'm 28 and I'm giggling. Somehow my clothes come off so I sprawl on my bed not bothering with the covers.

I had some amazing dreams while unconscious in an inebriated stupor. Lips kissing all over my face and neck, lightly and delicately barely touching me as they cover my body then finally, the best blow job in the history of man. _I love dreams_…

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

I awoke groaning with a killer headache. It must be late morning judging by the placement of the sun on the horizon. I'm completely nude, laid out on top of my covers, slightly chilled by my exposure. Someone took the time to put Tylenol and a glass of water on my nightstand. I roll over and make quick work of the pills drinking the water down completely still feeling dehydrated.

Jasper…I needed to talk to him about last night…

Every inhibition I'd ever had flew out the window last night and I needed to hash it out with him. He definitely put me at an arousal level I never been at and this was through a haze of alcohol…the last thing I remember clearly were his hands on my belly sliding over my skin while he thrust his rock hard…damn! The though of him was enough to…wait…is he gay? I don't think I am but then this was my first man on man experience and I liked it. I stroked myself at the memory but thoughts of him were not enough to stop my confused train of thought.

I crawled out of bed pulling on basketball shorts and a t-shirt and descended the stairs to seek out my new partner in crime as it were, I smiled…was this something I wanted to repeat? We'd barely touched each other but that dream! Fuck! I wanted to experience that for real and sober and with Jasper.

Was he already in a relationship? God, I hoped not…I didn't want a relationship but I was open to experimenting with him. A lot. This was so different and new and exciting, I felt optimistic for the first time in months.

I looked for Jasper; assuming he'd be downstairs with Alice. I find Alice alone in the kitchen. I need her to drive me to pick up my car I remind her. She nods distractedly eating a bagel.

"So where's Jasper?" I say, looking around the room expecting him to be lounging about with a lazy grin on his face.

"He left hours ago to catch a plane." My head starts to pound with a vengeance that even Tylenol cannot abate.

"Isn't he local?" I croak. Blood is rushing though my ears making it hard to focus on Alice's next words:

"Edward, he's been deployed to Afghanistan. Six months. We talked about it last night but you were so polluted I'm not surprised you don't remember. He regretted not having more time to hang out with you. I think he gets back in October." She takes her plate and rinses it in the sink.

My gut clenches, I had no clue.

"He left a note saying you guys had such a good time he wants to correspond with you."

She hands me an envelope. My body is almost unable to function as I realize I'm devastated and seriously pissed off that he did what he did last night, sucking me in and then just fucking leaves. I want to cry I miss him so much already. My seriously disturbed world has just been seriously disturbed.

I turn despite Alice's continued blather and run upstairs to change into jogging clothes. I leave via the back stairs and run with all I have as fast as I can down my little trail. I must have run five miles before I have to stop and catch my breath.

Then I cry a little. Pussy. Was this some kind of karma pay back for how I'd treated Vicky last night? It would seem so, I felt like I'd been punched in the gut.

Then I suck it up confused as to why I've had such a visceral reaction to a man I've known less than twenty four hours. I have to be ready to take over the business of running Cullen Vineyards come Monday. Dealing with my feelings for Bella suddenly seems like such a trivial issue, but I want to find a way to see if we can make something work. I am, after all a straight man.

First I'll need to get past last night. I close off my emotions once again. It was foolish of me to hope. Jasper has to take a back seat; I don't really know the guy; no need to get overwrought. But while he's definitely on my mind my family comes first. My reaction is out of all proportion and I chalk it up to the lingering effects of the Tanya debacle.

I run back to the house and without another word to anyone, refocus my energies on getting cleaned up, straightening my room and heading out to the office to prepare for Monday. I plan on spending most of the weekend in preparation, where else would I go? What else would I do?


End file.
